Vibration induced connector damage is common on the cooling units and associated backplane connectors used in telecommunications systems. Typical vibration mitigation strategies involve the use of dampers or bushings that are added to the mounting points of the cooling fans, typically above and below the cooling fans. This, however, requires an increase in the size of the cooling units. If space is not available within the broader telecommunications system, then dimensions must be enlarged, and a full redesign must be undertaken, resulting in significant delay and expense. Further, valuable space must be allocated which may be reserved for other functions and a full redesign is not an option for already deployed telecommunications systems.
Similarly, the geometry of conventional cooling units does not allow for a set of large isolator flanges (relative to the size of the cooling fans) to be used to isolate the cooling units from the rest of the telecommunications system. Such large isolator flanges would provide superior vibration damping, provided they may be used in the compact space provided, substantially within the existing cooling fan envelope, and in multiple orientations.
Thus, what is still needed in the art is a compact vibration isolator that works with existing cooling units and conserves valuable space. What is also still needed in the art is a large isolator flange and isolator flange geometry that may be used in a compact cooling unit space, substantially within the existing cooling fan envelope, and in multiple orientations. Such an isolator flange geometry would maximize volume and thickness.